In an empty corner, she replaced her cotton stockings for the new silk ones.įor the first time she seemed to be taking a rest from the tiring act of thought. Missus Sommers then took the elevator which carried her to an upper floor into the ladies' rest area. What a very small box it was! It seemed lost in her worn old shopping bag. She handed the girl a five dollar bill and waited for her change and the wrapped box with the stockings. "A dollar and ninety-eight cents," she said aloud. Missus Sommers chose a black pair and looked at them closely. There were a great number of stockings in her size. "Do you think there are any size eights-and-a-half among these?" Two red marks suddenly showed on her pale face. Now she used both hands, holding the stockings up to see the light shine through them. But she went on feeling the soft, costly items. She smiled as if she had been asked to inspect diamond jewelry with the aim of purchasing it. A young girl who stood behind the counter asked her if she wished to examine the silky leg coverings. A sign nearby announced that they had been reduced in price. She looked down to see that her hand lay upon a pile of silk stockings. She slowly grew aware that her hand had felt something very pleasant to touch. She was trying to gather strength and courage to push through a mass of busy shoppers. When she arrived at the large department store, she sat in front of an empty counter. Between getting the children fed and the house cleaned, and preparing herself to go shopping, she had forgotten to eat at all! She had eaten a light meal-no! She thought about her day. She could push her way if need be.īut that day she was tired and a little bit weak. She could stand for hours making her way little by little toward the desired object that was selling below cost. Missus Sommers knew the value of finding things for sale at reduced prices. The needs of the present took all her energy. She herself never looked back to her younger days. The neighbors sometimes talked of the "better days" that little Missus Sommers had known before she had ever thought of being Missus Sommers. What time that would save her in always repairing old stockings! The idea of her little family looking fresh and new for once in their lives made her restless with excitement. And still there would be enough left for new stockings - two pairs per child. Her daughter Mag should have another dress. She would buy cloth for new shirts for the boys. This would guarantee they would last a great deal longer than usual. During the quiet hours of the night she lay awake considering ideas.Ī dollar or two could be added to the price she usually paid for her daughter Janie's shoes. She did not wish to act quickly and do anything she might regret.
For a day or two she walked around in a dreamy state as she thought about her choices. The question of investment was one she considered carefully. The way it filled up her worn money holder gave her a feeling of importance that she had not enjoyed for years.
It seemed to her a very large amount of money. Little Missus Sommers one day found herself the unexpected owner of fifteen dollars. Our story today is called "A Pair of Silk Stockings." It was written by Kate Chopin. Now, the VOA Special English program, AMERICAN STORIES. Written with grace, delicate humor and a keen understanding of the human - especially the female - psyche, these stories are a superb introduction to an important American writer whose literary career was cut short by the harsh criticism directed at her novel The Awakening (1899).Short Story: 'A Pair of Silk Stockings' by Kate Chopin Additional stories include "Madame C lestin's Divorce," "A Gentleman of Bayou T che" and "At the 'Cadian Ball," from Bayou Folk "A Respectable Woman," "A Night in Acadie" and Az lie" from A Night in Acadie "The Dream of an Hour" and the title story. This collection of nine stories contains one of her most famous works, "D sir e's Baby" - a haunting and ironic tale of miscegenation.
Bypassing many of the conventions of 19th-century realism, she won praise for her realistic portraits of the inhabitants of bayou and urban areas. Known for her vivid portrayals of Creole life in Louisiana, Kate Chopin (1851-1904) wrote, during her brief literary career, poignant and perceptive stories about the emotional lives of women.